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Chapter 1561: A War Without Victors (XI)
Chapter 1561: A War Without Victors (XI)
Far away in Hogwarts, Albert was unaware of the subtle changes taking place back home.
Upon his recent arrival at Hogwarts, he encountered a bit of a hiccup.
"The Defense Association members have all gone missing?"
Facing Moody, who was complaining about the shortage of hands and inquiring about the news of the Defense Association members, Albert responded with a helpless expression.
"Complaining to me won't help. As you can see, I've just arrived at Hogwarts myself and am still trying to figure out what's going on."
"The entire school is still in disarray, and we need help, especially at the deep ditch. The way everyone is handling those Inferi is just dreadful."
Moody felt the urge to facepalm. He hadn't expected that without the assistance of the Defense Association members, the others would be so ill-equipped to deal with the horde of Inferi.
"They are professionals, no doubt about that," Albert acknowledged.
He paused and glanced at the right corner, then quickly retracted his gaze and tried to soothe Moody's agitated mood. "Don't put too much pressure on yourself and others. We finally won, and it's not right for those who risked their lives to continue shouldering everything."
"So, they just abandoned their responsibilities and ran off?" Moody's expression was priceless.
"No need to worry," Albert reassured, "they probably didn't run off. Most likely, they're just sleeping in, considering how exhausted they were yesterday. It's understandable if they want to get some proper rest."
"Also," Albert continued, his face devoid of expression, "even if everyone truly doesn't want to stay and help, I don't think anyone can blame them." His tone left no room for argument, "The Ministry of Magic should be the one blamed. It's those British wizards who didn't participate in the Battle of Hogwarts and are now unwilling to lend a hand. This mess at Hogwarts is not something we should be dealing with."
Moody fell silent. He hadn't expected Albert to retort so bluntly.
"Actually, you don't need to be too anxious," Albert added, "The ones who should really be worried about the Inferi are the Ministry. Anyway, those Inferi are stuck in the ditch and can't cause any more trouble for us. We can take our time and deal with them slowly. If all else fails, someone will just set fire to the ditch and burn those Inferi."
"You..." Moody sighed in exasperation as he looked at Albert, who seemed determined to stay out of it. He couldn't think of anything else to say.
After all, everything they did was voluntary, and no one had the right to blame anyone else.
"I admit I may have been a bit extreme," Moody pulled out a bottle from his pocket and took a swig, "The situation hasn't improved much, and we can't really count on the Ministry for help. Even if Kingsley is willing to lend a hand, the mess the Ministry is in is even bigger than we thought."
"You got it wrong from the start," Albert replied, "Without taking extreme measures, it's impossible to clean up this mess in one go. Since you don't intend to do that, then take it slow." Albert knew better than anyone how troublesome it was, which is why he chose to remove himself from the situation.
As long as he stayed out of it, how others chose to handle the mess was none of his concern.
Moody clearly didn't want to continue this awkward conversation. He already understood what Albert was trying to convey.
"Our willingness to help is already a big deal," he thought, "In this matter, no one can blame us under any circumstances."
"Kingsley brought Professor McGonagall's appointment as Headmistress," Moody said, still perplexed by the young man before him, "He just took a tour of Hogwarts and should now be in Minister Mills' office discussing the next steps."
"He seems to want to have a chat with you."
"Let's leave it until Kingsley is done with his business. We'll have time to meet then," Albert replied.
"See you later, then. Hope to hear some good news," Moody said as he parted ways with Albert at the corner, hobbling towards Professor McGonagall's office with his cane.
"Is it really fine to not give the new Minister face?" Sana's voice suddenly rang out from behind Albert, catching him off guard.
"He's just a temporary Minister, and respect is a two-way street," Albert replied, no longer intimidated by authority after his experiences with Voldemort in both his lives. Like Dumbledore before him, he understood that sometimes, the rules you make can be broken when necessary.
"That's truly like you," Sana sighed, "But that's just how the Ministry is—bullies to the weak, cowards to the strong."
"It's the same everywhere, whether it's the Muggle world or the wizarding world," Albert remarked.
As they walked and chatted, they made their way towards the Room of Requirement on the eighth floor. Albert inquired about the Defense Association members, but Sana only said that he would know soon enough.
"So, they got themselves drunk?" Albert asked, a bit exasperated, as he entered the Room of Requirement and saw a room full of people nursing hangovers. He shot a look at Sana, who mirrored his expression of dismay.
"Last night, not long after you left, Fred and George somehow got their hands on a large quantity of alcoholic beverages from the Muggle world, and well...here we are," Sana explained. She had already done her best to clean up the mess, preventing the situation from spiraling out of control.
"I should've prepared some Dreamless Sleep Potion for them so they could get a good night's rest!" Albert wasn't angry, but he couldn't deny that the absence of the Defense Association members had noticeably slowed down the work outside.
"It's understandable; after all, it's not easy to achieve victory, and it would be a shame not to celebrate properly." Sana comforted him, "Don't worry, they'll be up by lunchtime at the latest."
"And that's their excuse for you?" Albert asked with a smile.
"Yup."
Sana was well aware of the immense pressure they had been under. "I've already asked the kitchen to prepare some tomato juice for them."
"Let them sleep it off," Albert said, looking at the group of people still fast asleep. He and Sana left the Room of Requirement without any intention of disturbing their rest. He figured that this bunch probably wouldn't be up for anything before noon.
"You really don't have to worry. We're not the ones who should be troubled by the mess at Hogwarts, and if all else fails, there's always the Ministry, right?" Albert reassured her.
"Is that really okay?"
"Why not? This isn't our personal matter. Everyone is exhausted because the burden of the entire British wizarding community rests on your shoulders. Not to mention, we're not even getting paid for this." Albert wasn't angry; he was simply stating a fact.
"You make a lot of sense!" Sana rolled her eyes, gazing out the window at the large group of people dealing with the Inferi outside. "I heard the Ministry is facing a funding shortage and might not be able to pay the bounty for Voldemort."
"That's exactly what I expected. When has the Ministry ever offered a bounty? But they will have to pay the price for this, because I refuse to be a pushover." Albert wasn't concerned about this issue. As long as Kingsley wasn't a fool, he would come to discuss the bounty with him.
"It's quite troublesome. Why do I feel like we have more problems to deal with after winning the war?"
Watching the people carrying the bodies towards the Forbidden Forest, Sana smiled bitterly, "The reality we face now is even crueler than the Wizarding War!"
"During the war, people only needed to focus on winning. But after the war, they have to confront the cruel reality and deal with the mess left behind." Albert answered Sana's question based on his understanding.
Was war truly cruel?
As a direct participant in this great war, Albert didn't feel much about it. The deceased, in his eyes, were merely cold, lifeless numbers.
The two parted ways on the second floor, with Sana intending to find Professor McGonagall to explain the situation. Albert, on the other hand, headed towards the Great Hall. As he reached the entrance, he spotted Harry, the savior, fulfilling his duty. Although not everyone was willing to accept his help, no one deliberately caused him trouble either.
"Kingsley is here, and he hopes to meet with you later."
Upon seeing Albert enter the Great Hall, Hermione's eyes lit up, and she quickly walked over. Ron, who was behind her, nodded slightly as a greeting to Albert and also inquired about Fred and George.
"They drank some alcohol last night and are now nursing a hangover." Albert scanned the Great Hall and noticed that some of the war casualties had already been taken away by their relatives.
"They sneaked off to hold a victory celebration, how envious!" Ron now understood why the Defense Association members had disappeared.
"After the war, there's a lot of mess to clean up. Even if Professor McGonagall wanted to hold a celebration, she wouldn't have the time or energy."
"That's very true."
Albert saw things more clearly than most people.
The last time everyone recovered from the pain of war so quickly was entirely because the Potter family bore everything alone.
This time, there was no one to shoulder it all. The harm and suffering brought about by the war fell directly on everyone's heads, so naturally, no one was in the mood to celebrate."
This was also partly related to Albert. As someone who didn't like the idea of heroes, he refused to become one himself and adamantly declined to bear everything alone.
Ultimately, most of the trouble could be traced back to the British Ministry of Magic.
If Harry Potter hadn't gone through what he did, if the wizards of this country hadn't turned a hero into a tragedy, Albert might have taken the risk. He had the qualifications and the ability, but this world had no room for what-ifs, and it no longer needed that kind of hero.
"What do you need from me?" Albert bluntly changed the subject.
"Oh, right, I almost forgot. Come with me quickly."
Hermione seemed to have remembered something and pulled Albert's hand, leading him out of the Great Hall.
Watching their departing backs, Ron twisted his mouth and quickly followed.
"Are you and Kingsley..." Hermione trailed off.
"Don't overthink it." Albert interrupted as they turned the corner and "coincidentally" met Kingsley.
"Good morning, Mr. Anderson."
"Good morning, Kingsley. Are you done with your business?" Albert smiled and greeted the other man.
Kingsley paused, but he hadn't changed just because he had become the temporary Minister of Magic, "It's done. There's a mountain of issues to deal with, and I'm still figuring out how to solve them all!"
"Then take your time. We have plenty of time now that the war is over."
The conversation between the two men left Hermione, who was standing beside them, completely baffled. She had originally thought that the relationship between the two was strained, but it seemed that was not the case.
"Would you mind accompanying me to the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest? We plan to dig a mass grave there to bury the bodies of the Death Eaters who went unclaimed," Kingsley said.
"That's a rather wise decision," Albert acknowledged.
"It can't be helped. We don't have the time to build individual graves for each of them," Kingsley said with a bitter smile. "The Ministry is still in disarray, and we can't afford to waste a month or two on this. Their bodies won't last that long."
"To be honest, I'm more concerned about whether the Ministry plans to erect a monument at Hogwarts to commemorate those who bravely fought and died resisting Voldemort," Albert said, deliberately changing the subject.
"That's indeed a good idea," Kingsley agreed.
The two men walked together towards the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest, with Kingsley having instructed the others to stay a distance behind so as not to disturb them.
"Now that we're alone, I can speak frankly," Kingsley said, once the others were out of earshot.
"You seem to have some concerns about the current situation," Kingsley said, voicing his own doubts.
"The war may be over, but many things are yet to be concluded," Albert said, looking intently at Kingsley. "Everyone is watching you, expecting you to deliver a perfect outcome."
Kingsley's forehead broke out in a cold sweat as he realized what he had overlooked.
Hatred! As Albert had pointed out, while the war was over, the hatred in people's hearts would not be so easily extinguished.
Unlike the previous Wizarding War, which had ended abruptly with a victory, this war had been exceptionally brutal, with many sacrificing their lives to achieve the ultimate triumph.
These people were his supporters, and they were all watching him, expecting him to deliver the justice they craved.
What if he failed to give them the justice they desired?
Would he be seen as a betrayer?
"What do you think I should do?" Kingsley asked bitterly.
"Avoid a repeat of what happened after the last Wizarding War," Albert said, gauging Kingsley's reaction and finding the situation not as dire as he had feared.
"I know, but it's not going to be easy," Kingsley admitted with a wry smile. He, too, wanted to root out those Death Eaters who were still in hiding.
"Use a moderate amount of Veritaserum during the interrogations to ensure their innocence or guilt," Albert advised. "You can invite several Potion masters and healers from St. Mungo's to ensure the reliability of the potion and use simple questions to determine if further interrogation is necessary."
"Perhaps that's a good idea, but it won't be easy to carry out," Kingsley acknowledged, all too aware of the challenges and resistance he would face.
"It depends on whether you have the courage to do so," Albert said. "Otherwise, even if you become the new Minister, you will still face many obstacles. You should be aware that they are no longer a flock of sheep to be herded but a group of battle-hardened warriors."
"They are a double-edged sword to you. If you truly let them down and push them to despair, they could become a band of like-minded avengers, more troublesome than Death Eaters. I believe you've already encountered one such extremist," Albert warned.
"What should I do then?" Kingsley asked, realizing the folly of his initial plan.
While the war was over, everything was just beginning, and he knew he couldn't please everyone. Keeping his supporters happy was of paramount importance.
"You know the answer in your heart," Albert said.
"I need to become the Minister first. I don't have the authority to make those decisions right now," Kingsley said, hoping for Albert's support.
"Does the Ministry intend to renege on the bounty for Voldemort?" Albert asked suddenly.
Kingsley was taken aback, not expecting Albert to bring up this topic.
"I would gladly give you the bounty, but as you know, the Ministry is in a dire financial situation and simply can't afford it," Kingsley admitted.
"I can donate the entire bounty, but the Ministry can't back out of it," Albert said, stating his condition. "The families of those who sacrificed their lives in the war need that money, as do the brave warriors who fought. I don't mind you using it to boost your reputation, but the Ministry can't back out. The money must be used as I specify."
It was a deal Kingsley couldn't refuse.
"It seems you never trusted the Ministry to pay that hefty bounty in the first place," Kingsley said, offering his hand to Albert, sealing the deal.
"They've squandered their credibility," Albert said with a shake of his head. "Now, do you understand why I didn't want to vouch for your credibility?"
"Because you don't want to vouch for the Ministry, and you don't want to be a scapegoat, a fool. You know too well what they're like, and you're too naive," Albert said meaningfully. "Peace doesn't come cheap. A cruel war demands a river of blood. Too few have died to quell the hatred Voldemort bred, and true peace cannot be achieved without it. You haven't fully committed yourself to this yet."
(End of Chapter)
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